A Birmingham-based training provider is among the growing number of West Midlands businesses to win work supporting the delivery of Britain’s new low carbon railway HS2.
Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV), HS2’s construction partner for the West Midlands, has signed a five-year contract with Aston-based Auctus Management Group (AMG).
The £2m contract award will see AMG deliver bespoke induction training programmes for new starters who will support the construction and delivery of the West Midlands section of Britain’s new railway.
When main construction works on HS2 began in September 2020, BBV confirmed that it expected to be one of the biggest recruiters in the region over the next two years, with around 7,000 skilled jobs required to complete its section of the HS2 route.
Over 2,000 businesses have won work on the project to date, including over 300 in the West Midlands, with UK-based businesses making up 97% of contracts.
Matthew Munn, Head of Supply Chain Management at Balfour Beatty VINCI said:
“This is a significant year for Balfour Beatty VINCI. With many major construction milestones on the horizon, including the launch of the Long Itchington Wood tunnel boring machine, we are actively recruiting for hundreds of new roles across the West Midlands section of HS2.
“That’s why we’re delighted to welcome Actus Management Group on board, to provide safety critical training and induction programmes for our new colleagues. It’s great to see yet another local business benefit from the plethora of opportunities that our work on Europe’s largest infrastructure project is creating.”
Auctus Management Group was established in 2012 and currently employs over 150 staff at its Gee Business Centre headquarters. It delivers safety critical training, inductions, assessment and certification solutions to the UK’s rail and construction sectors and has a recognised history of supporting major infrastructure projects. Its group members, RSS Infrastructure and INFRA Skills, have played an integral role in training staff to deliver Hinkley Point C and Midland Metro Alliance.
The five-year contract award from Balfour Beatty VINCI comes at a critical time as businesses across the region strive to recover from the effects of the pandemic.
Richard Toy, CEO at Auctus Management Group said’
“We are delighted to have been awarded this contract and to play our part in training the workforce that will bring high speed rail to the West Midlands.
“This contract has enabled us to create six brand new roles within the team, provide more job certainty for existing staff during the pandemic and plan ahead for the expansion of our induction team.
“It’s ripple effect has benefitted local businesses too, as we’ve brought in specialist local suppliers to refurbish our induction suite and install state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment to enhance the overall learning experience.”
HS2 Ltd has already awarded around £18bn worth of contracts, with a significant proportion of this value expected to flow out to the wider supply chain. By the end of 2022, it’s estimated this figure will reach around £25bn.
For more information about joining HS2’s supply chain visit hs2.org.uk/building-hs2/supply-chain/
For details of career opportunities with HS2 and its construction partners visit hs2.org.uk/careers
Photo credit: HS2 Ltd
